DR. WALLACE: I'm 19 and a college student. I have two roommates and we all get along great. We attend a local college about five miles away from the townhouse we rent.

We have an unusual problem. We have a rude neighbor who lives diagonally across the street, but he insists on parking his monster truck right in front of our townhouse! And by monster we mean monster, since this rig is both super long and has the biggest tires on it you've ever seen!

This aircraft carrier of a truck is both an eyesore and a huge inconvenience for all of us. We could easily fit two of our cars right in front of our townhouse and we could then park one in our garage, since we only have a very small one-car garage. But because of this rude and inconsiderate diagonal neighbor, we must usually park a long way down the block and walk up to 500 yards to get back to our place.

Can we legally call the police on him? Can we measure his tires to see if they are "street legal?" It would be great to find a way to get his rig impounded. What ideas do you have for us to get his eyesore off our street, and especially out from right in front of our place? — We're Sick of This Eyesore, via email

WE'RE SICK OF THIS EYESORE: Assuming he's parking his very large truck legally on a public street, there is little you can do to stop him other than beating him to the parking spot as often as you can.

I would absolutely not advise you to touch his truck or go out to the street with a measuring tape. Touching his truck or loitering near his vehicle is not a good idea and could be unsafe for anyone who does so.

I trust your local police department has seen his vehicle both on the road and in various parking spots, so they would know about the legality or lack thereof when it comes to his vehicle.

Park your vehicles in front of your townhouse as often as your schedule allows and look at the occasional long walks back to your place as a form of exercise and an opportunity to think of something much more pleasant during those few minutes of walking home from down the street.

WHY SHOULD THIS BE A BIG DEAL?

DR. WALLACE: I want to live together with my girlfriend before we get married, but she wants the opposite, meaning she does not want to live with me until after we are married someday.

I have some friends who successfully lived together first and then they got married a year later and they are still married now, two years after their marriage. I don't see what the big deal is.

When we discuss this topic, my girlfriend says that statistics show that couples who live together first get divorced at a higher rate than those who do not live together first. I think I already know what your answer is going to be, but I'll ask you anyway. — I Feel It's No Big Deal, via email

I FEEL IT'S NO BIG DEAL: Your girlfriend is correct when it comes to the statistics. There is a difference, but it truly comes down to each individual couple and each of their personal decisions and preferences.

I also feel that trying to push your girlfriend toward your preference on this issue will not only be counterproductive, but it could also end up being a deal-breaker for the relationship at some point if you persist in trying to push her.

Any healthy interpersonal romantic relationship requires trust, compromise and teamwork. Since your girlfriend has stated her position here, I suggest you become a team player with her and think long and hard about when and if you truly wish to marry her.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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